The Lightning Legacy
by Masked Stranger
Summary: Billie's father and home town are in financial danger and the only way to fix it is bringing them glory in the form of victory. On her journey she will become strong but also learn the secrets of her father's legacy that he's kept hidden for so many years
1. The Beginning

**This is my first Pokemon fanfic.**

**Be nice, please ^_^**

In the darkness of her bedroom a girl rolled over in her sleep, oblivious to the sun shiny day just outside her closed blinds. Her brown, shoulder length hair stuck out every which way as she smiled dumbly at her sub-conscience. Pidgey were chirping merrily at the citizens of Rojahn, a small city south of Pallet.

Rojahn was known for it's nightlife and not for it's Pokemon trainers. After a serious depression in Kanto, Rojahn was the place suffering citizens were told to go, but life there was anything but simple. The unemployment rate was at an all time high and more and more homeless people walked the streets.

All these worrisome things, however, were not on the mind of fifteen year-old Billie as she slept. Her and her father lived in a small, two bedroom, apartment that they could barely afford. It was located over a shop her father owned where he sold his impressive word carvings. Business wasn't exactly booming since the citizens of Rojahn used what little money they had on food.

Billie was woken up suddenly when her father entered the room, her green eyes alert; she'd always been a light sleeper. A Raichu, named Roy that had been with her since childhood, poked his head from under the blankets to investigate as well.

"Billie, darling?" her father sat on the edge of her bed, knowing very well that she was awake. He looked more stressed than ever, if that was possible. His graying black hair was unkempt and the circles around his eyes had an extra shade of purple to them. The collar of his faded blue polo was too loose for his skinny neck.

"Morning Pop," she smiled at him, hoping it would ease his stress momentarily.

"Sweetheart it's noon," he laughed; the laughter met his eyes only slightly. "We have six months"

Billie sat up, Roy almost shocking her as he moved out of the way, "To do what?" It was a silly question; their landlord had been warning them about their rent lately.

"To get organized, to find somewhere else to go, and for me to find a 'real' job," her father said this last part with a thoroughly depressed look on his face.

"Where else would we go?" she asked. They had had this discussion many times and they both knew the answer. Her father had no college education, though he was highly intelligent man, because his parents couldn't afford it. Finding a job was easier said than done.

"Billie, I just want the best for you. You're growing up so fast…" he sniffed, "I don't want to leave here as much as you do. Rojahn is a dump, I'm going to be honest, but it's our home. It's not our fault the government doesn't care that we're in debt…" he shook his head and pet Roy, who was listening just as intently as Billie was. "I just wanted to warn you so you'd be prepared."

Billie always knew something like this would happen but talking about it now made her extremely upset, "Pop, I'm not going to allow this! We can get the rent! We can clean this place up!"

He father smiled appreciatively, "Business isn't doing so well, Billie…"

"Can't I get a job?"

"No one wants to employ a fifteen year old, no matter how smart you may be! There are barely any jobs to choose from anyways…" he father explained.

"Isn't there anything I can do? We can't just sit here!" Billie grabbed her father's hand and squeezed it tight.

"Rai rai raaaai chu," Roy nodded, looking just as determined.

"What would you do?" her father sighed.

Billie was at a loss. She looked around her dark room until her eyes focused on the Pokemon League poster. The winner always got some amount of money nowadays.

"I could enter the Pokemon League," she half suggested to herself.

"The…the Pokemon League?" her father never reacted well to this subject. "No, you couldn't. It starts up again in 4 months and you need eight badges to enter…"

"Four months is less than six, Pop! And I could get those badges. I would hate leaving you here, but I'd send back whatever money I got along the way," she said.

"But you need Pokemon to do that Billie. More than one," he added as she pointed to Roy, who looked rather proud of himself, "You need poke balls to do that. Poke balls cost money."

The door was pushed open as her father's Persian came in with a tray balanced on his head. It had some medicine and a glass of water. Her father had five other poke balls in his room that Billie was forbidden to mess around with. He kept them in his top drawer and insisted that they were empty. The Persian purred and left the room after the medicine was taken.

"Will you just trust me? Let me do this," Billie begged her father.

He contemplated this, petting his Persian that had returned to rub against him affectionately. When he sighed Billie knew the answer.

"I suppose…"

Billie squealed and hugged her father, "Oh thanks Pop!"

Billie had her things packed by dinnertime. Roy helped her decide what things she would absolutely need and the things she could do without. From under her mattress she pulled out about 200 dollars that she'd been saving since she was nine. She wouldn't tell her father about her begging on the street every once in awhile; he didn't like charity. Although he never asked where the random money came from. It was easy for a pretty girl like Billie and a cute Raichu to beg money from people who needed it too.

Her father prepared a box of macaroni, a luxury in their household, for her last night there. "You know this is going to take a lot of work," he said, serving her up half of the box. Roy sniffed at him hopefully until he got a plateful as well.

"I know Pop, I know. But maybe I'll get enough money to help us move somewhere nicer, you know?" she smiled. Her father just smiled back, not wanting to drown any of her hopes.

**Comments greatly appreciated =D**


	2. First Impressions

**Here's numero dos. Hopefully some more people check it out. =)**

Billie left that night with Roy to Pallet Town. She heard there was a Pokemon Professor there and she wanted to talk to him. Any help along the way was good enough for her.

For the trip she chose her best pair of brown shorts over her black leggings, a black tank top, black finger-less gloves, and a brown jacket. Billie had always had simple taste for a girl but she wouldn't be able to afford anything more than simple even if she didn't. She put her hair in a high ponytail; she'd always thought it made her look taller. Billie was sensitive about her height of five foot three. Her father would assure her that she wasn't done growing yet but she was pretty sure he was wrong.

She'd been to Pallet Town only once before when her father tried to get a job there a couple years ago, but she remembered the way much better than one usually would. Roy hopped merrily along side her, excited to get out and have an adventure.

It seemed that Pallet hadn't had many visitors from Rojahn (and no citizen of Pallet would ever venture to such a place as Rojahn) so the once clean path was overgrown with vines and other sorts of nature. Billie felt like she was walking through a jungle; it would have been much easier if it weren't nighttime. For once, she regretted her decision and scolded herself for being too excited to wait until morning.

Climbing through the vines, Roy now residing on her back safely, she felt the thorns poking at her and frowned; her leggings were probably ruined by now.

When, finally, she came out the other side she found only one tear in her leggings that could be easily fixed. Billie also found that Roy had been joined by a wild Tangela. _I thought he was getting a little too heavy. _

She gently set the Tangela down and was going to investigate it more; she'd always loved learning about Pokemon, but it ran off back into the vines. Roy looked sad at its departure.

"It's ok, buddy. I'll find you some friends soon, ok?" Billie pet Roy reassuringly.

She was so used to Rojahn, the city that never slept, that when she took a good look at Pallet she was surprised to see no lights on except for one in the second story of, what looked like, a laboratory. It had to be at least midnight already, so waltzing into town probably wasn't a good idea. Did she have any choice? Her and Roy had rumbling stomachs and they very well couldn't camp out here. It was too dangerous; they didn't know what else lurked in the vines.

"Someone is awake, Roy. Pallet is a small town, they're probably all very nice," said Billie. With that, they made their way to the only light available.

"Go away," a young man ordered them upon knocking on their door. His brown spikes were askew and he didn't even bother to open his eyes. He wasn't wearing pajamas; it seemed as though he had fallen asleep in his lab coat.

"Please, we have no where to stay tonight. Yours is the only house with a light on, so me and my friend here," she pointed to Roy, "assumed that you'd already be awake."

The young man opened his eyes to get a good look at them. He was young, no older than twenty or so, but he looked overworked and exhausted. "There's a light on?" he sounded genuinely surprised.

"Uh, yeah," said Billie, now looking at her feet.

He narrowed his eyes, "Grandpa…" he said barely above a whisper. Then he shut the door in their face.

Billie pouted, her Raichu following suit, and was about to walk away when the door opened again. This time it was an older man.

"My dear! What is a pretty girl like you doing out this late? And you have a pokemon!" he exclaimed, his worry shifting toward Roy. He knelt down, "Are you okay?"

Roy tilted his head and simply blinked at the man with an expression that said: Of course I'm okay. Why wouldn't I be okay?

He stood back up, "I'm Professor Oak," he held out a hand.

Billie took it, "I'm Billie. Billie Lightning."

Her last name had always gotten weird reactions out of people, especially since she had a Raichu. "Is that some kind of stage name?" was the usual response. Honestly, it was her real name. The fact that she had a Raichu and loved electric type pokemon was simply coincidence.

The younger man was behind his grandfather and both were giving her a look she'd never received in her life. They didn't think her name was weird at all; although, when she said "Billie" she saw the younger man mouth it back questionably. A girl named Billie?, past voices echoed in her head.

Both of the men were looking at her in awe, like they were witnessing a miracle or they had met someone famous.

"Come in, child!" Professor Oak beckoned her. Neither of them explained their awed looks as she proceeded inside. She didn't even grimace at being called a child because she was so thankful that they were being let inside.

"Sit!" Proffesor Oak exclaimed, rather than offered, and pointed toward a poofy blue arm chair in the only room that wasn't covered in files and research. The younger man still had yet to say anything; it seemed as though they had stricken him speechless.

"Gary! Fetch this girl something warm to drink! And don't forget her Raichu!" Oak beamed after his grandson, then back to Billie, then to Roy. He seemed very awake for an old man who had been up this long.

"What brings you to Pallet? And _this _late at night?" Oak crossed his legs as he sat himself across from Billie in an identical arm chair.

She shrugged, "I suppose I'm looking for you," she admitted casually.

The Proffesor's eyes widened, "For me?"

"Yes," Billie said with a bit of hesitation; maybe this was the wrong guy.

"Well what for? Why would you need my assistance?" Oak laughed merrily as Gary, the younger man, walked back in the room with a tray laden with hot chocolate and marshmellows; Roy went straight for the marshmellows, they were a weakness of his.

Billie sighed as Roy stuffed his cheeks with marshmellows, "I want to become a trainer...well more than that; I want to become a Champion," she stated with a rather determined smirk upon her face.

"Oh ho ho!" Oak uncrossed his legs and leaned forward with interest. His grandson didn't look quite as intruiged as he was. "Yes, that makes sense! How many badges do you have thus far?"

Billie looked at her feet, a shade of red gracing her features, "None, yet" she whispered.

"Oh," the professor sat back in his chair, "Well, my dear, the Pokemon League competition starts back up in four months! However will you enter if you possess no badges?"

"Do you even know how to battle?" Gary finally spoke up.

"Of course I do!" Billie said, a bit offended by such a question. So what if it had been unofficially with wild Ratatta?

"Is this Raichu your only pokemon?" Gary asked.

"Yeah," she hesitated.

Professor Oak held up his hand to silence his grandson, "I'm sorry to say Gary is right; you need a team and quick; but quickly is no way to train a team, no matter your skill." The professor gave his grandson a look and the two seemed to share some hidden knowledge that, for some reason, made them excited and uneasy at the same time.

"I can do it; I have to do it," Billie stood up. Roy, sensing her tension, ceased stuffing his face with the marshmellows.

Oak smiled, "That's the kind of attitude I like to see. You remind me of another trainer I knew a long time ago," he said, his eyes far off and remembering.

"So will you help me?" Billie suggested, rather than begged. When the professor nodded she had to hold back her screams of excitement so as not to wake all of Pallet Town.

"Come with me," Oak gestured toward the back where the lab was. She followed both men, Roy close behind, until they stopped at a desk full of high tech gadgets.

"First I'll need to contact you; I don't want to send out a potential champion without any form of communication," said Oak. He handed her a green phone, shiny and new. "My number and my grandson's number is already in there. Next I will give you a Pokedex," he gestured toward a table of different models; her father had an old red pokedex, nowadays they came in whatever color you wanted. To match her phone, Oak handed her a green one.

"You'll also need some of these," said Gary, handing over a dozen poke balls. Her eyes widened at the possibility of filling them all with pokemon.

"When you have more than six pokemon in your party any pokemon you catch is automatically transfered to the PC system," said Oak. "I just set up an account for you. I will let your pokemon out to roam the grounds while you aren't using them. And if you'd like to change your team all you need to do is find a pokemon center and get ahold of me, okay?" he smiled. All of this was extremely fascinating to Billie; she never knew the world of pokemon was so complex.

"I should probably walk you through the official rules of battling," Gary suggested, even though she insisted she knew what she was doing.

"Do you know what attacks your Raichu is capable of?" Oak asked.

Billie looked wearily at Roy, "Uh, not exactly. I'm pretty sure he knows Thunderbolt, though."

"Here, come with me Roy," Gary smiled his first genuine smile of the night and Roy followed him to a back room.

"What are they doing? Where is he bringing Roy?" Billie asked, slightly panicked.

"You'll see," Oak grinned.

A couple minutes they came back, Gary holding a paper in his hand, and Roy looking only slightly dazed.

"You're Raichu is level twenty-seven," Gary informed her, "He knows Thunderbolt, Quick Attack, Light Screen, and Discharge. Since he was evolved via Thunderstone, though, the only way he'll be able to learn any more attacks is if _you _teach them to him yourself," he concluded.

A flash back of the day Roy evolved came back to Billie like the wave upon the shore. Billie had recieved Roy when he was a Pikachu; well, actually, she found him. She was only eight. He was at her doorstep one morning and looked rather hurt. Her father insisted that someone lost him and that they put up flyers. No one came to collect him and he had become rather attached to Billie. She named him Roy the first day she met him.

One night Roy became very sick, his cheeks sparking madly. She looked through all the books and did everything she could but it seemed that her little friend wasn't strong enough to withstand the sickness.

"You could evolve him. A Raichu could pull through this," her father suggested when it seemed all was hopeless. Billie despised him for thinking her Pikachu weak but she needed to do _something. _He handed her a Thunderstone; she never asked where he got it. A bright flash and suddenly her Pikachu had transformed into a very majestic looking Raichu. The next morning he was so much better, Billie hugged her father graciously, and the two were inseparable ever since.

"Maybe it's time for bed," Oak stretched and patted his grandson on the back, "Why don't you show Billie to our guest room?"

"Of course," Gary nodded. He grabbed her bag before she could stop him and headed upstairs.

The upstairs was even more a mess than the downstairs. Several computers were up and running, many pokeballs littered the floor, and papers were scattered. Billie tried her best not to step on the Professor's research.

"Sorry, Grandpa has been in intense research mode for a couple months," said Gary, noticing her careful steps, "He's usually more organized about the whole thing."

"Maybe he's just stumbled upon something really, really interesting?" Billie suggested.

Gary turned on his heel, stopping in front of a door, and giving her a very serious look. His eyes seemed to be taking her in, examing and questioning. Billie felt slightly awkward and tensed a little, Roy clung to her leg just as confused as she was.

Gary came out of his trance and opened the door, revealing a tidy guest room, "I hope this is sufficient enough." It looked untouched but clean. Billie smiled and gestured for Roy to make himself comfortable.

"Thank you, so much, for everything," said Billie.

"See you in the morning," said Gary, closing the door behind him.

"Are those two weird or is it just me? Please tell me they seemed off to you, too," Billie asked Roy, getting ready for bed.

Roy gave her a look that plainly agreed with everything she said. "Raaiii chuuuu," he threw his paws into the air. Billie giggled; she knew it appreciated the marshmellows at least.

**=3 Marshmellows! **

**Review por favor!**


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